Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport in south China's Guangdong Province received its 30 millionth passenger Thursday, making it the country's second largest airport after the Beijing Capital International Airport, the airport management said.

The airport in Guangzhou, capital of Guangdong, expects to handle 31 million passengers throughout 2007, said Liu Zijing, president of Guangdong Airport Management Corp.

"With the volume of passenger throughput exceeding 30 million, the airport is expected to be ranked among the top 30 air hubs in the world," said Liu.

According to China's civil aviation authority, the Pudong airport in Shanghai was China's second largest airport in terms of passenger volume in 2006. It handled 26.79 million passengers last year. The figure for this year is not available.

In next three years, 35 regional and international air routes will be launched for both passenger and cargo transport, increasing Baiyun airport's international air routes to 90 by 2010, Liu said.

The airport was also expected to handle 45 million passengers and 2 million tons of freight by 2010.

The airport started operation in August 2004 and has seen its volume of passenger throughput rise from 20 million to 30 million in the past three years. It currently serves 140 domestic destinations and 172 international and regional air routes.

(Xinhua News Agency December 21, 2007)